Nuan Pavilion Flower Appreciation
Gu Ye’s idle life in the Jun Residence to recuperate started just like that. Niu-momo took the medicine she gave her for two days and recovered from her illness. This powerful housekeeper in front of the Old Madam was as considerate to Gu Ye as if she was her own Lady master.
Gu Ye’s daily task was to take medicine, tonic, eat, and sleep. When she was tired, she walked around the courtyard. If the courtyard was not close to the outer courtyard, and her grandpa, master and brother didn’t often come to chat with her, she would have died of boredom.
Finally, on a long snowy and early sunny morning, her immortal like Uncle-Master mercifully announced that she could stop drinking his decoction, but she must continue taking supplements.
Gu Ye’s mood shone as bright as the warm sun in the clear sky outside. She couldn’t help cheering and jumping, and she ran around the room like a happy puppy. She didn’t resemble someone who had been sick for a long time at all. Gu Xiao and Gu Ming, the grandpa and grandson, finally dropped their hanging hearts after seeing Gu Ye’s lively appearance again. They were sincerely happy for her.
Just then, Niu-momo came in, followed by a few little girls holding clothes. Gu Ye instinctively restrained her laughter, pretended to be a lady, and smiled gently: “Momo, you are…”
”Miss Gu, our Old Madam heard that you are in good health. Since the weather is nice today, please go to the Nuan Pavilion to appreciate the flowers.” With an affectionate smile on her face, Niu-momo ordered the maids to put the clothes on the bed.
”Oh no, that was rude of me! I, the junior, should have gone to greet the Old Madam.” Gu Ye felt like her smile had frozen on her face. Deep inside, she sighed. Living in a manor is really so tiring! Fortunately, she wasn’t a lady born deep in the inner house, otherwise the layers of rules would have suffocated her to death!
”It’s nothing, Miss. You were physically unable to do so, right? The Old Madam naturally understands. General Gu, Young Master Gu, the Elder Master Gu is holding a banquet in the plum garden, and invites you two to go there,” the granny turned sideways and led the grandfather and grandson out of Tingfeng Garden.
Dong Xue waited on Gu Ye to change her clothes. A small yellow coat with white fox fur, a cyan pleated skirt, a jade chiffon top with iris and orchid patterns, and a pair of double buns adorned with yellow crystal beads. Her entire figure looked pretty and lovely.
”Unfortunately, your ears aren’t pierced. Otherwise, you would be wearing these crystal earrings.” Dong Xue held the pair of earrings that matched the bead flowers, shook them left and right, and said with regret. “How about… Do you want me to pierce your ears?”
Gu Ye took the earrings and smugly admired them in the bronze mirror. Hearing this, she hesitated for a moment and asked, “Is it painful to have your ears pierced?”
”My craftsmanship is good, and it won’t hurt!” How could a lady not have her ears pierced? Dong Xue strongly encouraged her.
”Uh…I’ll think about it later!” Gu Ye put down her earrings, stood up and said, “Let’s go. Let’s not make the granny wait too long.”
The snow was swept clean on the path in the courtyard. When they were out of the warm room, their breath turned into white fog, showing how cold the weather was. If possible, she would rather play with counting eyelashes in boredom but in a warm room. With a sigh, Gu Ye closed her cloak of the ermine fur and admired the different scenery of the pavilions under the snow.
After a while, they reached the Nuan Pavilion.
There were bursts of laughter from time to time in the pavilion. It was obvious that Gu Ye was not the only one invited to enjoy the flowers. Of course, Gu Ye didn’t think that she was important enough to be worthy of the Old Madam’s invitation alone.
”Miss Gu is here, please come inside!” The maid who was waiting in front of the door tactfully drew the curtains for Gu Ye.
The laughter inside paused, and then a kind voice rang out, “It’s cold outside. Come in and warm yourself up.”
When Gu Ye entered the Nuan Pavilion, she almost messed up the seasons. The fiery red camellias, the white magnolias, the gorgeous Chinese peonies, the graceful tree peonies… and the flowers and plants whose names she couldn’t name, bloomed extremely delicately and magnificently. Beside the soft parapet, several young, splendid-looking girls surrounded an Old Madam with white hair and kind eyes. When they saw her enter, the young girls blinked their eyes curiously and stared at her.
Gu Ye took off the cloak on her shoulders, took steady steps, and bowed in front of the Old Madam with a shy smile. “Greetings Old Madam!”
”Don’t stand on ceremony, come and take a seat!” Gu Ye’s skin was no less delicate than that of the young ladies present, but the moment the Old Madam laid eyes on her, she felt a kind of familiarity, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit of goodwill. She patted the soft seat beside her and asked Gu Ye to sit there.